Bread slicing machine



- w. E. BETTENDORF BREAD SLIGINQ'MACHINE Dec. 3, `1935.

Filed Marlon s1, 1952 4 sheets-sheet l1 d c [Ja ATroRNEY/s Z5 Dec. 3, 1935. w. E. BETTENDORF 2,022,877

BREAD sLIcING MACHINE 'Filed Marchal, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 2 "in n QW i wf [.LJ'ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1935. w. E. BETTENDORF BREAD sLIclNG MACHLNE 2 Filed Mach 51, 19:2

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 3, 1935. w. E. BETTENDORF BREAD SLICINCT MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 31, 19:52

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55 nected for simultaneous adjustment;

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 i UNITED j STATES 2,022,877 BREAD suorNG- MACHINE William E. Bettendorf, Davenport, Iowa, assgnor,

by mesne assignments, to The Micro Corporation, Bettendorf, Iowa, a corporation of/Dela- Y Ware Application March 31, 1932, Serial No. 602,245

`19 Claims. (Cl. 14S-153) This invention relates to bread slicing machines, and particularlyV to the means for feeding the loaves of unsliced bread to the slicin mechanism. i

In the commercial slicing of bread it frequently happens that two or more batches of bread having diiferent lengths are sliced on the same slicing machine, and it is therefore necessary to provide some suitable means for guiding the lo' .bread up to the cutters that will properly position the loaves adjacent the cutters so that, during slicing, the heels of the loaves will be of substantially the same thickness.- It is therefore one of the objects ofs the present invention to provide a bread slicing machine with new and improved means for guiding the loaves of bread as they are fed to the slicing mechanism. L

' Another 'object is to provide a bread slicing machine having a feed conveying mechanism 20 with a pair of side guides over the conveying ltain features of Vconstruction and combinations Q of parts which will be readily understood' by those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains.A f

able embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of one type of slicing machine to which the apparatus` of the present invention may be applied, portions of the same being broken away to'show the feed Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing. the slicing pivotal connectionr of the bread guiding means; f Fig. 6 is an enlarged sidev elvation of the guiding means shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is anenlarged side elevation of a bread slicing machine in which the guiding means over the feeding and discharge conveyors'are con- 'i thel apparatus shown out the several views, the slicing machine illustrated in the drawings as being one type to which m the apparatus of the present invention may be applied, is of the reciprocable blade 'type in which -a plurality of cutters i are arranged to reciprocate in a vertical direction. The bread or other baked article being sliced is supported dur- 1L ing th slicing operation by means of a vtransfer plate 2 secured to the side frames 3 of the slicer and having a plurality of finger portions d which extend rearwardly between the cutters i. In the apparatus shown in Fig. l. the side frames' of `the slicing machine are provided with rearward extensions 5 which support an endless feed ,con-f veyor. This conveyorcomprises a feed table E extending horizontally between the rearward extensions 5, and which atV its forward end inclines downwardly toward the cutters i' and terminates immediately above the' fingers d of the lbread transfer plate v2, as shown-in Fig. i. The

bread to be sliced is disposed on the feed table' f6 andmoved forwardlytoward'the ycutters by 3G N means of transversely extending flights ll which i Referring to the drawings which .illustrate suitare secured attheir ends to a pair of side chains B which are arranged to operate over suitable sprocket wheels 9, certain lof which are driven.

"Iy'he bread is guided and properly centered on 35 the feed table 6 by means of a pair'of spaced side guides A disposed above the feed table 6 and conveyor flights l. Each guide A 'is composed of a horizontal `rearward part .lc and a forward part,- ll which 'is inclined downwardly to sub- 40 stantially the same angle as the inclined portion.

of thefeed table 5 and hinged by means of` a pin I2 tothe forward end of the rearward part Ill.A The forward ends of the forward part i l of each side guide is provided with a guide plate 45 i3 secured thereto which terminates immediately adjacent the cutter blades l and which is of su'iiicient depth to. have its lower edge positioned adiacent Atheinclined'portion of the feed table -engagenzle/nt with theloaf of bread to properly guide the "bread through the cutter blades l. The rear endof the rearward part IU of each side guide A is receivedbetween the legs lof a tension 5 and is arranged to have pivotal movement as well-as longitudinal movement relative to the member I4 by means of a. hinge pin I5 that extends through longitudinal slots I6 formed in the legs of the forked member I4. The pins I5, therefore, permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of the side guides A but hold the rear ends of the parts I0 against transverse movement.

The forward parts vI I of .the side guides A are suspended from adjustable supporting mechanism in a manner to be presently described. It is thus seen that the rearward parts I0 of the side guides are spaced relatively far apart at their rear ends and converge toward the forward parts Y' I I which are arranged parallel to each other and.

disposed a distance apart suflicient only to permit a loaf of bread to be moved therebetween preferably with a slight friction. The loaves of bread to be sliced are disposed on the rear portion o-f the conveying mechanism and as each loaf is moved forwardly by a flight 1', one or the otherI of the convergent guide parts I0 causes the loaf to gradf ually move to a'centered position on 'the feed table 6. Although the loaves .of bread out of one batch to be sliced may have a slight variance in length, they will be centered and moved between the forward guide parts II.. Here they will be held and properly centered by the 'guide plates I3 so that they will be correctly sliced with the heel portions thereofY of substantially the same thickness, whereby the maximum number of slices may be obtained from each loaf.

The forward parts II of the side guides A are supported for movement toward and away from each other and also for simultaneous bodily movement by means of a novel adjusting mechanism. Each of the extensions 5 is formed with an upwardly extending bracket portion I1 and a guide rod I8 is disposed transversely between the bracket portions I'I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The

side guide parts II are also provided with upwardly extending bracket portions I9 which are arranged to slide transversely on the guide rod I8. Movement of the brackets I9 is provided by means of an adjusting rod 20 having its ends` threaded in opposite directions and threaded into the brackets I4 which support the forward ends of the side guide parts II. It is obvious that as the adjusting rod 20 is rotated in one direction or theother, the side guide parts I I will be moved toward or away from each other so that these guide parts can be adjusted to anydesired width for accommodating the length of loaf of bread that is to be sliced. During this relative transverse movement -of the guide parts II, it will be noted that the rear guide parts Ill are permitted to move longitudinally of the side frames by reason of theslots I6, and to pivot about their rear and forward ends by reasonof the pivot pins I5 and I2, respectively.

The adjusting rod 20 is mounted at its `ends within suitable journals 2| carried by the upwardly extending brackets I9, one of these journals being threaded into the upwardly extending bracket II and having a knurled portion 22 thereon which can be grasped to turn the journal and thread the same into or out of the bracket I1.

'I'he adjusting rod 20 is vrigidly held against axial movement relative to the last mentioned journal-V v2,022,877 vforked member I4csecured to the side frameexy As previously explained, the side guide partsV II may be moved toward and away from each other to accommodate different lengths or bread by merely turning the adjusting rod 20, the ends of which are oppositely threadedinto the supporting brackets I9 of theside guide parts. Although vthe side guides may be adjusted to the proper width, they may be in such a position that the heels of the loaf of bread being sliced will not be of the same approximate thickness, and it may be desired to bodily shift the side guide `parts II which are correctly spaced apart so that the loaves of bread can be fed to the cutters in the desired centered position. This can be accomplished by merely loosening a sei; screw 25 which is threaded into the bracket I1 to hold the knurled journalI 2I against rotation, and then by rotating the journal 2I -by grasping the knurled portion 22 in the proper direction which, as shown in Fig. 4, will bodily move the brackets I9 and attached side guide parts I I as a unit to the right, as shown in broken outline.

The longitudinally movable pivot connections between the guide parts III and the rigid members I4, permit such bodily movement of the guide parts II, by reason of the unrestrained longitudinal and pivotal movement of the rear guide parts I0. It is thus seen in 'the case of the feed conveying mechanism that two adjustments of` the side guides are provided, one to permit bodily transverse movement of the side guides relative to the conveyor to properly' center the loaves of bread with respect to the slicing'A cutters, and another to permit relative movement of the side guides in order that they will properly guide the loaves of bread.

In some cases where a discharge conveyor is used, it may be desirable to soconnect the side guides of the' discharge machinsm with the side guides of the feeding mechanism that they. may be simultaneously adjusted. Such a mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10,'inclusive, wherein the discharge conveyor is Vshown as comprising a 'discharge table 30 over which a plurality of flights 3I are arranged to move. The flights 3I extend between suitable spaced link chains that iov the rearward part 3l being provided with a relatively wide guide plate 39, as shown in Fig. 7, which is pivoted thereto by means of a pin 60 vand held in position by a flat spring 6I. vThis guide plate 39 extends to the framework, and is provided with a secondary guide plate 62 which s' adjustably hinged thereto by means of pins 63 and-adjusting nuts 64, so that these plates 62 may extend at an angle substantially to the cutter blades in alignment with the guide plates I3.

'I'he side guides B aresuspended at 'their opposite ends from rotatable shafts 40 and 4I which Vrespectively extend between the brackets 34 and 35. The forward shaft 4I is provided with opposite threads 42 which threadably receive depending supports 43 that are connected with the forward ends ofthe forward guide parts 36 so that when the shaft 4I is rotated the parts 36 75 l may beA moved reiative to each other. The rearward shaft 40 is likewise provided with opposite threads 44 which threadably receive depending supports 45 that are secured to the shorter rear- 5 ward guide parts 31. These supports 45 are' also arranged 'to slide on a rigid transverse rod 46 extending between the brackets 34. Thus, as the shaft 40 is rotated, the guide .parts may -be moved relative to each other. However, as it is l essential that the side lguides B must maintain the slices of the sliced loaves of bread in -presliced relation, it is obvious that the distance therebetween should be relatively uniform. In the present illustration, means is provided so that l the shafts 40 and 4| may be simultaneously rotated and thisis accomplished by providing each shaft with a sprocket 41. 'I'hese sprockets 41 are simultaneously driven by an endless link chain 48. Furthermore, in order to properly space the f discharge side guides substantially the same distance apart as the parts Il of the side guides A,

it is preferable to rotate the shaft 40 at the sameA time as the adjusting rod 20 at the feed side. g5 This is accomplished by rigidly arranging a bevel gear 49 which is driven through such means as a cable drive 50 from a gear 5|l secured to the adjusting rod` 20 so that as a result of the rotation offthe rod 20, the shafts 4U and 4I will be simultaneously rotated to cause simultaneous movement of the side guides A and B.

' Since the forward Iparts Il of the sideguides are bodily movable to center the same with re'- spect to the cutter blades, it follows that the ,g5 rearward parts 31 of the side guides B must` also be moved the same amount.` In order to save time in making these adjustments, means is provided for simultaneous bodily movement. The shaft le is supported in the brackets in a manm ner similar to the adjusting rod 20 throughl the medium of a .journal 5t threaded into one of the brackets 3ft, as shown in Fig; 10. This journal is provided with a bevel gear 53 which is driven through a cable drive dit from a gear titi rigidly L5 secured to the rotatable journal 2i which sup` ports the adjusting rod itil. it is thus obvious that as the journal 2i is rotated the rod iii and.

shaft t@ will be bodily moved transversely at the same time relative to the cutter blades with the m result thatV both the guide parts it and il will be properly centered with a single adjustment.

In order to permit the bodily movement of the shaft lll and rearward guide partsll'i, the guide parts 3@ may be pivoted to the depending sup- Although the slicing machine is illustrated as being of the reciprocating type andthe conveyor as being of Ya continuous or endless type,

it is to be understood that the invention is equal- 5g ly as adaptable to any other type of slicing machine such as a rotary type and to any suitable .type of feedingand discharge apparatus.

Furthermore, it is to beunderstood that the particular formsof apparatus shown and de- ;5 scribed-and the particular procedure set forth,

are presented for purposes of explanation and `illustration and that various modincations of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from my invention as defined m in the appended xclaims. 'i

What claim is: y v A l. In a breadslicing machine. the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for Amoving loaves of bread rela- [5 tive to said cutters, of means -for properly guiding the loaves of bread during their movement by said conveying means, said means comprising a pair of spaced side' guides mounted above said conveying means with certain of their ends acl-y jacent said cutters and their other ends an,- 5 I.chored for substantial longitudinal movement, and means for simultaneously moving the flrst mentioned ends of said side guides toward and away from each other. A

2. In a bread slicing machine. the'combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loavesof bread relative to said cutters, of means for properly guiding the loaves of bread. during their movement by said conveying means, said means comprising a pair of spacedside guides mounted above said conv ng means with certain of their endsvad- -jacent said cutters and their rearward ends anchored for substantial longitudinal movement, A r

and means for bodily moving the Vflrst mentioned 20 ends of said side guides as a unit transversely of said feeding means. A l

3. In a bread slicing machine, the combination l with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread rela- 25 tive to said cutters, of means for properly guiding the loaves of bread during 'I their movement by'said conveying means, -said means comprising i a pair of spaced side guides mounted above said conveying means with their forward ends adjacent said cutters and their rearward ends mounted for substantial movement, means for simultaneously moving the forward ends of said side guides toward and away from each other, and means for moving the forward ends of said side guides as a unit transversely of said conveyingmeans.

4. In a breadslicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread rela- 40 tive to said cutters, of means for properly guiding the loaves of bread during their movement by said conveyingn'ieans, said means comprising a pair oi spaced side guides mounted above said conveying means with their forward ends adjacent said cutters vand their rearward ends held against substantial-transverse movement and mounted for substantial longitudinal movement, a pair of spaced -side frame portions,` a transversely extending rod journaled in said side frame portions andA having spaced portions oppositely threaded and in threaded engagement with said side guides whereby upon rotation of said rod vsaid guides may be moved toward and awayl from each other.

5. yin a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality lof regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread relative to said cutters, of means for properly guid-A ing the loaves of bread during their movement by said conveying means, said means compris- 6@ ing a pair of spaced side guides mounted above said conveying vmeans with their forward ends adjacent said cutters and their rearward ends heldgagainst substantial transverse movement, a pair of spaced side frame portions, an adjusting rod having oppositely threaded portions in threaded engagement Kwith said side guides, vand means for mounting said rod in said frame portions, said means comprising journals surround ing the ends of said rod and threaded into said 70,

. 6. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread relastantial transverse movement, a pair of spaced 'side' frame portions, a slide rod extending transversely between said side frame portions, and a rotatable adjusting rod also extending between said side frame portions, said adjusting rod having its ends oppositely threaded and in threaded engagement with said side guides and said side guides having sliding engagement with said slide rod.

7. In a breadslicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread relative to said cutters, of means for properly guiding the loaves of bread during their movement by said 'conveying means, said means comprising) a pair of side guides mounted above said. conveying means with their forward ends adjacent said cutters and their rearward ends held. against substantial transverse movement, a pair of spaced side frame portions, a s lide rod extending trans. versely between said side frame portions,.a rotatable adjusting rod also extending between said side frame portions, said adjusting rod having its ends oppositely threadedv and in .threaded engagement with said side guides and said guides having sliding engagement with said slide rod, and a journal member for said adjusting rod threaded intov one of said side frame portions and being heldagainst movement axially of said adjusting rod whereby upon threading movement of said journal members said adjusting rod and side guides may be moved as a unit transversely of said conveying means.

' f8. vIn a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread relative to said cutters, of means for properly guiding the loaves of bread during their movement by said conveying means, said means comprising a pair o f spaced side guides mounted above said conveying means, each comprising a longitudinal part adjacentsaidputters, 'and 'a part hinged thereto and yn'iountedover said conveying means v remote from said cutters, supports for the lontive to said cutters, of means for properly guiding the loaves of bread during their movement by said conveying means, said means comprising a pair of spaced side guides,v mounted above said conveying means, each comprising a longitudinal part adjacent said cutters, and a part hinged thereto and mounted over said conveying means remote from said cutters, supports for the longitudinal parts of said side guides, a transversely extending shaft having oppositelythreaded portions threadably receivingfsaid supports, means for continuously holding said longitudinal parts in parallel relation, and means for rotating said shaft.

10. I n a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread relative to said cutters, of means for properly guiding ing said shaft transversely of said conveying means. 15

11. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and feeding means for -moving,loaves of bread up to said cutters, of a pair of spaced side guides mounted above said feeding means, each comprising a forward part and a rearward part hingedly connected together, means for supporting the rear ends-of said rearward parts, a transverse shaft supportingsaid forward parts and having oppositely threaded portions threadably receiving said forward parts, and means for rotatingv said shaft to move said forward parts relative to each other.

12. In a breadslicing machine, the combination with `a plurality of regularly spaced cutters 30 andfeeding`means for moving loaves of bread up to said cutters, of a pair of vspaced side guides mounted above said feeding means, each comprising a forward part and a rearward part, hing- `edly connected together, means for supporting the 35 prising a forward part and a rearward'part hingedly connected together, means for supporting the -rear ends of said rearward parts, a transverse shaft supporting said forward parts and having oppositely threaded portions threadbly receiving said parts, journals for supporting said shaft, and supports threadably receiving said' journals,l said journals being. threadable in said 55 supports to bodily move said shaft relative to said feeding means in a transverse direction.

14. In a bread slicingv machine. the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters and feeding means for moving loaves of bread up 60 to said cutters, of a pair of spaced side guides mounted above said feeding means, each comprisinga forward part and a rearward part hingedly connected together, means for supporting the rear ends of said rearward parts, a transverse shaft 65 supporting said forward parts and having oppositely threaded portions threadably receiving said parts, journals for supporting saidshaft, supports threadably `receiving said journals, said journals being threadable in said supports to 70 bodily move said shaft relative to said feeding means in a transverse direction, and means for rotating'said shaft to move said forward parts relative to each other.

115. In a bread slicing machine, the combina.- 75

tion with a plurality of regularly spaced cutters vand means for conveying sliced bread away from said cutters, of means above said conveying means for properly guiding the sliced loaves of bread on said conveying means comprising a pair of spaced side guides, each including a rearward part adjacent to said cutters and a forward'part hinged to saidr rearward part, a shaft member having'oppositely threaded portions thereon, brackets on said forwardpart having threaded engagement with said portions, a second shaft member having oppositely threaded portions thereon in threaded engagement with saidrearward parts, a driving connection between said shafts, and means for rotating one of said shafts whereby said shafts will move said side guides relative to each other.

16. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced-cutters and means for conveying sliced bread away from said cutters, of means above said conveying means for properly guiding the sliced loaves of bread on said conveying means comprising a pair of spaced side guides, each including a rearward part adjacent to said cutters and a forward part hinged to said rearward part, a shaft member having oppositely threaded portions thereon, brackets on said forward part having threaded engagement with said portions, a second shaft member having oppositely threaded portions thereon in threaded engagement with said rearward parts, a driving connection between said shafts, and means for rotating one of said shafts whereby said shafts will move said side guides relative to each other, said second shaft being moveable transversely of said conveying means whereby said rearward parts may be simultaneously and bodily moved relative to said cutters in a transverse direction.

17. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutter blades, a feeding means at one side of said blades and a conveying means at the other side of said blades, of a pair of side guides above said feeding 5 means, a pair of side guides above said conveying means, individual means for moving the ends of each pair of side guides adjacent said cutters toward and away from each other, and a common means for actuating said individual means.

18. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of regularly spaced cutter blades, a feeding means at one side of said blades and a conveying means at the other side of said blades, of a pair of vside guides above said feeding means, a pair of side guides above said conveying means, individual means for bodily moving the ends of each pair of side guides adjacent said cutters as a unit transversely of said cutters, and common means for actuating said individual means. f Y

19. In a bread slicing machine having a plurality of spaced cutters and conveying means for moving loaves of bread relative to .said cutters, means for properly guiding the loaves of bread during their movement by said conveying means, comprising a pair of spaced side guides mounted above said conveying means with certain of their ends adjacent said cutters, a common support for said ends, means for supporting said common support and means for bodilyv moving said common support whereby to move said ends as a unitary structure in a horizontal direction transversely of the path of movement of said loaves.

WILLIAM E. BE'I'I'ENDORF. 

